Salary?

suzanne4, RN · Jun 1, 2005

As a new grad, are you speaking of a thirteen week assignment or just placement thru an agency for a year or so?

Salaries are also going to vary widely depending on location, as well as specialty and need. Can you be much more specific?

X-treme · Jun 1, 2005

As a new grad, are you speaking of a thirteen week assignment or just placement thru an agency for a year or so?
Salaries are also going to vary widely depending on location, as well as specialty and need. Can you be much more specific?

Suzanne,

I was thinking of finding one particular agent who offers various locations. I was hoping to find an agency who locates around warmer client areas, ie. california, florida.

If I do proceed, I will have at least a year or two under my belt before applying. It really depends on whether it's worth travelling for the extra money, or just staying in my local area. It may not be worth the hassle.

suzanne4, RN · Jun 1, 2005

Again, the salary is still going to fluctuate greatly, even with the same agency. It depends on the going rate of salary in the area, as well as cost of housing, etc. Florida is actually at the lower end of things, CA is at the higher end. But it also depends on what you perks that you get as well. Is the apt completely furnished down to dishes and linens? Or do they provide basic furniture only. Do they provide a telephone? Cable tv?

There are quite a few excellent agencies out there, but it also depends on specialty, etc. Time of year for travel, etc. Contracts are always changing between the facility and the agency so it would be best to check much closer to your travel time.

Dixielee, BSN, RN · Jun 1, 2005

To echo what Suzanne said, so much is dependant on location. I have taken as little as $23/hr for Asheville NC to as much as $38 in Bakersville Calif. with the same company. I took the low end in Asheville knowing it would be low, but I wanted to go there for the summer because my daughter lived there and other family was close.

Some agencies offer a little more salary and make cuts in housing, insurance or other benefits. You have to decide what you are looking for. Sometimes recruitment ads are deliberately misleading. They may say $60/hr in California. What they are talking about may be a mixture of overtime and other differentials not evident up front.

The key to traveling is finding a reputable company and a recruiter who is a good match for you. You have to be able to trust your recruiter to give you as accurate information as possible. A recruiter who lies to you and puts you into unsafe situations is someone who can jeopardize your license, so be careful.

Once you are ready to travel, do what you are doing. Search the internet, get opinions from travelers. Certain companies will continue to come to the top of your list. You may have to interview with several over the phone to find a good match for you. In the process, you will learn who returns phone calls promptly and who is impossible to track down. That will be valuable information to you. There is a lot to consider when traveling, but I do not regret my decision. The benefits far outweigh any hassles.

cddeselms · Jun 3, 2005

I am with Preffered Health care. I get approx 5,000 a month. Thats for a LPN charge nurse. Hope that helps you. Travelers make great money depending on what you are practing.

A question that must have been answered many times, but I've searched and found little response.
On average, what would be a monthly salary for a travelling nurse?
For those were/are travelling nurses, could you tell me which agency you are currently employed with so I could inquire further?
Thank you.

nyck76 · Jun 5, 2005

I am with Preffered Health care. I get approx 5,000 a month. Thats for a LPN charge nurse. Hope that helps you. Travelers make great money depending on what you are practing.

You are? When I worked for them, even with 1500/month in tax free subsity I only made around $4000/mon, and that is an ICU RN in St.Louis. And they are with AMN, which means they are usally pretty cheap, so your pay rate is rare, but definitely good, especially for LPN charge. :)

raindrop · Jun 24, 2005

I am with Preffered Health care. I get approx 5,000 a month. Thats for a LPN charge nurse. Hope that helps you. Travelers make great money depending on what you are practing.

Can you please provide a link to their website? I did a google search and it came up with so many "Preffered Healthcare" websites that I got sick of looking.

KJS · Jun 27, 2005

It all depends on what you consider your salary. I know that I make in the mid $30's per hour, but only about $13 is taxable. A lot of it is tax free through per-diem, housing allowance, insurance stipend, and so on. My completion bonuses are taxable. So are any loyalty bonuses.

suzanne4, RN · Jun 27, 2005

$!3 that is taxable? Are you getting a housing allowance that is figured into your rate of $30 or so per hour, or on top of that?

If it is added into that rate, then your salary is not that good. All said and done, you would be in the upper $40s per hour, or should be. Not sure how they are calculating your taxes.